Monday, May 05, 2008

Sacred Putaruru

This ultra-greasy fast food joint (click to enlarge), which seems to be about the only food option in Putaruru on a Sunday afternoon, used to be a church. Skyler remembers going to a funeral there, at the beginning of the '90s.

I'm not sure whether the maxim that 'something of the holy remains, even when a shrine loses its function' holds, in this case. I'd be fascinated to know, though, how a 1950s architect managed to convince a little Anglican congregation in a conservative provincial farm service town to allow its place of worship to look so thoroughly untraditional. Anyone have a plausible explanation?

7 Comments:

Anonymous said...

GOD WANTS YOU TO PASS THIS MESSAGE ON

I have felt for sometime now that Obama is the one person that ‘Frightens Me’. I believe the Bible has warned us that ‘A man will come from the East that will be charismatic in nature and have proposed solutions for all our problems and his rhetoric will attract will many supporters!’

When will our pathetic Nation quit turning their back on God and understand that this man is ‘A Muslim’…First, Last and always…. and we are AT WAR with the Muslim Nation, whether our bleeding-heart, secular, Liberal friends believe it or not. This man fits every description from the Bible of the ‘Anti-Christ’! I’m just glad to know that there are others that are frightened by this man!

Who is Barack Obama?

Very interesting and something that should be considered in your choice.

If you do not ever forward anything else, please forward this to all your contacts… this is very scary to think of what lies ahead of us here in our own United States… better heed this and pray about it and share it.

snopes.com confirms this is factual. Check for yourself.

Who is Barack Obama?

Probable U. S. presidential candidate, Barack Hussein Obama was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, to Barack Hussein Obama, Sr., a black MUSLIM from Nyangoma-Kogel, Kenya and Ann Dunham, a white ATHEIST from Wichita, Kansas. Obama’s parents met at the University of Hawaii.

When Obama was two years old, his parents divorced. His father returned to Kenya. His mother then married Lolo Soetoro, a RADICAL Muslim from Indonesia. When Obama was 6 years old, the family relocated to Indonesia. Obama attended a MUSLIM school in Jakarta. He also spent two years in a Catholic school.

Obama takes great care to conceal the fact that he is a Muslim. He is quick to point out that, ‘He was once a Muslim, but that he also attended Catholic school. Obama’s political handlers are attempting to make it appear that that he is not a radical. Obama’s introduction to Islam came via his father, and that this influence was temporary at best. In reality, the senior Obama returned to Kenya soon after the divorce, and never again had any direct influence over his son’s education.

Lolo Soetoro, the second husband of Obama’s mother, Ann Dunham, introduced his stepson to Islam. Obama was enrolled in a Wahabi school in Jakarta. Wahabism is the RADICAL teaching that is followed by the Muslim terrorists who are now waging Jihad against the western world. Since it is politically expedient to be a CHRISTIAN when seeking major public office in the United States, Barack Hussein Obama has joined the United Church of Christ in an attempt to downplay his Muslim background. ALSO, keep in mind that when he was sworn into office he DID NOT use the Holy Bible, but instead the Koran.

Barack Hussein Obama will NOT recite the Pledge of Allegiance nor will he show any reverence for our flag. While others place their hands over their hearts, Obama turns his back to the flag and slouches. Do you want someone like this as your PRESIDENT?

The building in question used to be the tres moderne Putaruru Post Office, opened in 1970, and subsequently leased out by the council to cafe and fast foodoutlets. I don't know who the architect was. A friend did her teaching country service there in 1981 and the post office was much celebrated.

Wow. I spent a signigicant chunk of my childhood in Putaruru (late 70-mid 80s)and clearly remember that building as the Post Office, and feeling quite proud we had such a building in our town. I don't remember there being a church there, but I think it may have undergone several incarnations since the Post Office(and thankfully my family) moved on. It is strange and somewhat disconcerting to see it now as a fast food outlet.